1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a patrone loading mechanism of a camera, and more particularly, to a patrone loading mechanism of a camera for loading a patrone by fitting it into a patrone chamber opening.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, various types of patrone loading mechanisms of a camera for loading a patrone by fitting it into a patrone chamber opening have been proposed.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 2-117527 discloses a patrone taking-out mechanism comprises rotating means for rotating a patrone in a photographing position so that a film outlet is projected from a circumference of a cylindrical film storage part in the state of closing a rear cover, in such a manner that it is in the taking-out position that the film outlet is projected from the patrone chamber to the rearward of the camera body; and means for operating the rotating means by moving with opening of the rear cover. Rotating of the patrone in such a manner that it is raised from the outlet of the patrone chamber to the rearward portion with opening operation of the rear cover allows the patrone to be easily taken out.
According to this prior art mechanism, however, it is not easy to take out the patrone when the patrone is small. And, a size of a stroke direction (thrust direction) of the take-up fork must be made larger than that of the same direction of the patrone in order to disengage the take-up fork from a film patrone.
Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 2-102535 discloses a patrone taking-up mechanism in which projections are provided on the outer periphery of a film patrone; a patrone locking mechanism is provided in a patrone loading chamber of a camera; a film patrone is secured in the patrone loading chamber by the locking mechanism with its operation of pushing the film patrone into the loading chamber from a side face or a lower face of the camera; and locking is undone with operation of pushing the secured film patrone, whereby the film patrone is pushed out of the loading chamber.
According to this prior art mechanism, projections should be provided on the outer periphery of the patrone, and a special patrone is newly required. Thus, the prior art mechanism can not be applied to the generally used patrone. In addition, in order to perform loading and unloading of the patrone with operation of pushing into the patrone, means for releasing engagement of the patrone with the take-up fork is required. However, there is no description with respect to this take-up fork.
Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4-80735 discloses a mechanism which comprises a patrone loading chamber having an ejecting position and a storing position capable of loading a patrone therein in which a take-up fork shaft is moved backward before starting movement from the ejecting position to the storing position.
According to this prior art mechanism, the patrone chamber should be movable to the storing position and the ejecting position, whereby a complex mechanism is required. This becomes a factor of increasing the cost, and further, it is difficult to downsize a camera. When the patrone is loaded, an eject lever has already been locked even before the patrone cover has been closed. Accordingly, the patrone can't be removed so long as the patrone cover is closed, even when the patrone is to be removed for some reason before closing the patrone cover. Therefore, when the prior art mechanism is applied to a film patrone which is recently proposed and which is a type of completely storing a tip of a film therein, it can't be found whether or not the used film is loaded, and there is a possibility of re-loading of the used film.